Our objectives have been to examine stereotyping as a cognitive process. We see stereotyping as an instance of categorization in which people, like objects, are preceived as falling into specific subgroups. The fact of categorization seems to increase the ability to perceive differences between groups and decrease the ability to perceive differences within subgroups. The extent to which minimization of within-group differences occurs depends upon: size of subgroup, distinctiveness of subgroup, and familiarity with the subgroup. Thus, for example, blacks are visibly distinctive compared to whites, they are in a minority, and they are relatively unfamiliar to whites. Our research to date has demonstrated that these cognitive factors influence how a solo or token minority group member is perceived and evaluated. We have also demonstrated that categorization effects occur in the perception of people.